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Jordanian fans 'very excited' about World Cup, sports shop owners say
By Muath Freij - Jun 14,2018 - Last updated at Jun 14,2018
Store owners say demand for World Cup jerseys have been on rise in Amman (Photo by Muath Freij)
AMMAN — The FIFA World Cup 2018 does bode well for Amman’s sports vendors, who voiced optimism over the business during this year’s most prestigious football tournament.
Although Jordanians suffer from dire financial difficulties that prompted thousands of people to take to the streets of Amman recently, this fact did not hinder Jordanians from living in the excitement of the competition, shopkeepers interviewed by The Jordan Times said on Wednesday.
Salem Mahsiri, a sports store owner in downtown Amman, said his clients are young people who do not have many needs to meet.
“These young people are only thinking about football and its excitement. Sales at my store increased by 25 per cent. World Cup for us is a peak season and much better than local tournaments,” he said.
Raad Dababnah, an employee at a global brand sports store in Amman, agreed with Mahsiri, adding that demand for jerseys soared by 90 per cent compared to normal days.
"World Cup is the most attractive competition for clients followed by UEFA Champions League and the Euro peab cup," he told The Jordan Times at the store on Wednesday, adding “everyone is preparing for the competition. Though the financial situation is not good, the demand for World Cup jerseys have been on the rise. We just received the collection and we started selling it even before putting them up the store".
Naji Harab, a supervisor at another internationally famous sports brand store, noted that teams such as Argentina, Germany and Spain are followed by many football fans in Jordan, which contributed to making the business thrive, adding that the shop will hold a promotion campaign to attract more fans.
Though many local stores are selling jerseys at affordable prices compared to original stores, Harab noted that this did not have a negative impact on sales. "People do like to buy an original jersey because they care about the quality and material of the product,” he stated.
Sari Alkhalil, a Jordanian football fan, said the financial instability he is facing will not hinder him from buying the jersey of his favourite team.
“The World Cup happens one time every four years so it is good to celebrate the competition. Wearing the jersey is like celebrating your sport identity and feeling the passion of the tournament,” he concluded.
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